Cardinals tie it in 9th, take 5-4 win in 12 innings

San Antonio, TX - The 1st-Half North Division Champion Springfield Cardinals rallied with four runs in the top of the ninth to force extra innings and eventually prevail, 5-4, in 12 frames against the San Antonio Missions before 3,495 fans at Wolff Stadium on Tuesday night. Springfield closes the road trip going 4-2 and has now won three straight series.

The Missions (4-8, 26-56) claimed an early advantage against RHP J.C. Sulbaran in the bottom of the first inning. CF Franchy Cordero led off with a double, before moving to third on a single from SS Jose Rondon. An errant pickoff try to third base from Sulbaran enabled Rondon to take second, putting both runners in scoring position. LF Nick Torres then placed an RBI groundout to short, bringing in Cordero for the 1-0 lead.

San Antonio doubled the lead in the bottom of the second. With 2B Nelson Ward at third base and two away, RHP Kyle Lloyd sliced an RBI single to right field, helping his own cause and making it 2-0.

Sulbaran settled in with scoreless work after the second, keeping the Cardinals (6-5, 47-34) close through his next four scoreless frames. However, Missions RHP Kyle Lloyd countered with six scoreless innings to keep the Cardinals bats in check before giving way to RHP Adam Cimber to start the seventh.

Cimber logged a scoreless top of the seventh, before the Missions added a third run in the bottom of the seventh. With Sulbaran back on the mound, 2B Nelson Ward led off with a walk. He then swiped second and took third when 2B Juan Herrera missed the catch on C Carson Kelly's throw. One out later, RHP Rowan Wick took over on the mound to face pinch-hitting OF Luis Tejada. Wick got Tejada to bounce out to third base, but it brought in Ward on the play, increasing the San Antonio lead to 3-0.

San Antonio added another insurance run against RHP Heath Wyatt in the bottom of the eighth. LF Nick Torres started the inning with a single, before moving to second base on a wild pitch. He then came racing home on an RBI single placed to shallow left-center from RF Nick Schulz, making it a 4-0 lead for the Missions.

The Cardinals, though, refused to give in and came roaring back with four runs in the top of the ninth. C Carson Kelly sparked the charge with an infield single to start the inning. 3B Jonathan Rodriguez followed with a single, before LF Luke Voit bounced into a fielder's choice that retired Rodriguez at second but moved Kelly to third. With runners at the corners, 3B Paul DeJong cued an RBI infield single inside the first base line, scoring Kelly and moving Voit to second. An RBI base hit from 1B Michael Ohlman brought in Voit, before RF Allen Staton ripped an RBI double to left-center to score DeJong. Trailing by just one, 2B Juan Herrera pulled his first pitch to left field, collecting an RBI single to tie the game, 4-4, and ultimately force extra innings.

RHP Josh Lucas (W, 3-2) kept the tie intact through the next three innings, before Springfield cracked the tie in the top of the 12th. Facing RHP Rafael De Paula (L, 2-2), Kelly again sparked the rally with a walk. He took second on a wild pitch, before moving to third on a single from Rodriguez. One out later, DeJong came through with an RBI sacrifice fly to right field, his team-leading 50th RBI of the season to lift the Cardinals in front, 5-4.

Heading into the bottom of the 12th, 3B Jonathan Rodriguez (S, 1) took over on the mound to try to find the final three outs. Rodriguez, who made one prior relief appearance earlier this season, navigated through a scoreless final frame with just a base hit allowed, slamming the door in the 5-4 win for Springfield in 12 innings. It marks Rodriguez's first-career save in his second-career pitching performance.

Click here for the complete box score from Tuesday's game.

1926 World Championship Replica Rings, Crowd Sing-A-Long Fireworks, Cooler Backpacks and more coming up

The Cardinals return to Hammons Field for the next fun-filled homestand from Wednesday, July 6 - Monday, July 11. Don't miss any of the upcoming fun, including:

-Wednesday, July 6, 6:30pm - Wednesday Night Baseball vs. the Corpus Christi Hooks. Gates open at 5:30pm.

-Thursday, July 7, 7:10pm - St. Louis Cardinals 1926 World Championship Replica Ring Giveaway (2,000) and Klement's "Buck a Brat" Night. Gates open at 6:10pm.

-Friday, July 8, 7:10pm - AM Pyrotechnics Friday Night Fireworks featuring Crowd Sing-A-Long. Gates open at 6:10pm.

-Saturday, July 9, 6:10pm - Hiland Dairy Cooler Backpack Giveaway (2,000). Gates open at 5:10pm.

-Sunday, July 10, 6:10pm - Hiland Dairy Ice Cream Sunday and Kids Run the Bases. Gates open at 5:10pm.

-Monday, July 11, 6:30pm - Pasta Express $1 Kids Orders of Toasted Ravioli. Gates open at 5:30pm.

For information about becoming a Season Ticket Holder, organizing a Group Outing, booking an Urban Cup Birthday Party or ordering Individual Game Tickets right now, call the Front Office at (417) 863-2143 or visit SpringfieldCardinals.com.

Click here to view the full 2016 Promotional Schedule.

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